South Africa aim to become first team to whitewash Australia

Without precedent for a respective One Day International (ODI) arrangement, Australia are 0-4 down. Has South Africa will hope to exact further mortification as they try to end up the principal group to finish a 5-0 whitewash against Australia when both groups go head to head in the last ODI of the arrangement at Newlands, Cape Town on Wednesday (October 12).

While the hosts have gone about things in a clinical way all through the arrangement, Australia have been perfect inverse. Their unpracticed knocking down some pins line-up has been no match for the involvement in the restriction camp and Australia's energy pressed batting request too has let the group down two or three times, abandoning them on the very edge of a noteworthy shame. Unless Australia think of something extraordinary, another drubbing is well on the cards.

Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis have been the batting pillars in this arrangement for the home group while whatever remains of them have contributed with valuable commitments. Predictable exhibitions from the batting request have demonstrated their value in gold as did a tornado thump by David Miller to help South Africa pull off a record pursue in the third ODI and secure the arrangement.

What has been much more vital for South Africa's effective run is their knocking down some pins, which has constantly held the resistance batting under wraps and has scarcely let them free, notwithstanding the third ODI. Five South African bowlers have taken four or more wickets in this arrangement, and six of them have economy rates of under six, highlighting how imperative the bowlers have been regardless of batting-accommodating wickets on offer. Another inside and out show is the thing that South Africa will seek after as they hope to decisive victory the arrangement.

Despite having a tried and tested batting line-up, Australia have not been a match for South Africa in the series. Matthew Wade, the Australia wicketkeeper-batsman hit the nail on the head when he said: "We haven't played anywhere near our best. We've got to have a long, hard look in the mirror and find a way to produce our best in the next game. We're not in a position where we can just walk out and play under par and win games of cricket." While they will be desperate to avoid the ignominy of a whitewash and salvage some pride, it may well be only wishful thinking unless there is a drastic improvement in their game as Wade rightly said so.

When: South Africa vs Australia, 5th ODI - 1:30 PM Local (5:00 PM IST)

Where: Newlands, Cape Town

What to expect: Unlike the batting paradises that were on offer in the earlier games, the pitch at Newlands is expected to provide an even contest between bat and ball. The forecast for the match day is clear skies with a high of 17 degree Celsius.

Team News:

South Africa: Kyle Abbott, who played his first game of the series in Port Elizabeth, picked up a four-wicket haul and was named the Man of the Match. However, the 29-year-old as well as Andile Phehlukwayo, the highest wicket-taker of the series, could be rested as the hosts are looking at bringing back spearheads Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada in their bid to clean-sweep the series.

Australia: Usman Khawaja, who hasn't got a game so far, might get a look in.

Did you know:
 
4-0: The only time Australia failed to win a single match in a five-match bilateral ODI series was against England in 2012. One game of that series was abandoned without a single ball being bowled.
2: The number of dismissals Matthew Wade requires to become the fifth Australian wicketkeeper with 100 dismissals in One Day Internationals.

What they said:
 
"Coming up to Wednesday, I don't think we will do anything differently. We will stick to what we've done that's won us four games and hopefully make it five and make some history" - Kyle Abbott

"I don't think any game that you lose for Australia is tougher than the next, they all hurt just as much. We wanted to really win the last two games and go home on a high, that hasn't happened" - Matthew Wade

Squads:

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith(c), George Bailey, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), John Hastings, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Scott Boland, Usman Khawaja, Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Faf du Plessis(c), Jean-Paul Duminy, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Aaron Phangiso, Tabraiz Shamsi, Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott

India tour always at the back of your mind: Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood, the Australian Test paceman, has conceded that playing on the subcontinent is the "hardest thing" he has done in his vocation. The 25-year-old was a piece of Australia's arrangement whitewash in Sri Lanka and attempted to deliver on the turning tracks, guaranteeing only seven wickets in three matches at a normal of 32.71, six runs more costly per wicket than his Test profession normal.

"Playing Test cricket in the subcontinent is the hardest thing I've done as such far in my profession and to win over yonder... well I haven't encountered that yet," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au on Friday (October 7).

The hopeless arrangement in Sri Lanka proceeded with Australia's unpleasant record in the subcontinent, which has yielded only one Test win since 2008. In front of an essence voyage through India right on time one year from now, Australia have now lost nine straight Tests in Asia.

Hazlewood conceded Australia had been contemplating the up and coming voyage through India, an arrangement they are set to begin as significant underdogs. "It's dependably in the back of your psyche (the India Test visit one year from now), particularly after simply returning from Sri Lanka," he said. "It's exceptionally intense cricket over yonder and they (India) have another arrangement over yonder before us against England. It will be some intense cricket and you generally anticipate it in the back of your psyche, that opposition in India." 

With a laborious summer ahead, Hazlewood and his new-ball accomplice Mitchell Starc were let well enough alone for the present voyage through South Africa leaving Australia handling an unpracticed assault. Obviously, it has been an extreme start for newcomers Joe Mennie, Daniel Worrall and Victorian Chris Tremain, who have taken only one wicket between them while surrendering more than 200 keeps running over the three misfortunes to the hosts.

In spite of the arrangement effectively lost and Australia confronting the possibility of an arrangement whitewash, Hazlewood trusted it was a decent learning knowledge for the bowlers. "It's an extremely nerve-wracking time (making your presentation)," Hazlewood said. "It's a major stride up from household cricket or Australia A cricket to the global level. I've viewed a tiny bit of the cricket over yonder. Clearly I'm feeling the loss of that visit and truly miss being a piece of the group and being on that visit.

"South Africa can be an extreme time to bowl on those smallish fields and wickets have a tendency to be really level," he included. "I think they've made an entirely decent showing with regards to. It's dependably nerve-wracking yet they'll be better for the experience."